Some Useful Tips of Maintaining Pellet Mill

Maintenance of Pellet Mill Equipment
Feeders Lubrication of feeder - check oil level in variable speed drive weekly and oil roller chain sparingly. Grease front feeder bushing daily. Feeder flight bearings grease monthly.
Conditioner---A clean out panel is located on the side of the conditioner chamber to permit inspection and cleaning of the mixer without removing the mixer shaft.
Lubrication Grease the bearing at each end of the mixer monthly.
Feed Chute---The feed chute carries feedstock from the conditioning mixer to the die cavity by gravity flow. To do this job efficiently, the chute must be kept clean and free of dents. If a magnetic separator is located in the feed chute, clean it after each run to remove metal buildup.
Deflector---The purpose of the deflector is to maintain a clean surface on the cone and assure uniform distribution of feed to the die. Keep clear of caked on material which will restrict flow to the die.
Mainshaft and Drive Assembly Most models have the entire drive running in oil and needs only the oil changed twice yearly. On new models the front main shaft bearing needs to be greased each eight (8) hours of operation.
 


Operator Lubrication Summary
1. Lubricate rollers at least once every one or two hours of continuous operation. Smaller amounts every one hour are also recommended.
2. Lubricate main shaft bearing every eight hours.
3. Change gearbox oil every 2,000 hours or every six months.
4. Check oil level in feeder drive weekly and oil roller chain drive sparingly.
5. Grease conditioner and feeder shaft bearings monthly.
6. Grease knife brackets daily and work manually to keep free.
Keep machine clean. Blow off dust, wipe up excess oil or grease accumulations.

Get to know the advantages of Kingman Pellet Mill
 
Quality Control
The quality of a pellet will be based largely on the following factors:
Fines
Color
Size
Appearance
Fines are a major factor in determining consumer satisfaction with pelletized feedstock quality.
Producing tough pellets will eliminate most fines complaints. The section on conditioning has dealt with producing tough pellets.
A rule of thumb for the industry has been a maximum of 10-20% fines in pellets. The percent of fines can be determined by the use of sieves.
Normally, color is a very important part of determining the quality of pellets.
The size of pellet also helps determine quality. The length of a pellet varies from two to three times the hole size of a die. The shape of the cross-section of a pellet can vary, with the majority being either round or square.
The appearance of the outer surface of a pellet will give an indication of the pellet quality. A rough exterior, not a shiny glazed surface, is desired and will indicate that a tough, durable pellet has been produced.
 
Quality Tests
Operators should be instructed to make quality checks at the pellet mill and at the cooler of the finished product.
At the Pellet Mill
Thermometers should be used to check the pelletizing temperature. The thermometers should be used only as a guide. The reading will give a general indication because, on some days, a given feedstock can be run hotter than on other days. Hot pellet temperatures should be checked if heat sensitive material is being run. A physical test of the hot pellets is necessary to determine the amount of moisture in the product.
At the Cooler and/or Packer
Portable hardness testers should be used to determine the pellet hardness for each run. If a minimized hardness standard is not reached, the operator should shut down and consult with his supervisor. Checking cool pellet temperatures will detect any malfunctioning of the cooling system.

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